Strikers molest Manipur girls

In yet another molestation case in Manipur, the police have rounded up three youth allegedly involved in molesting a tribal girl in Napetpali area in Imphal East district.

According to a report, the youth waylaid 13 tribal students, including seven girls, when they were returning from Imphal to their villages to celebrate Christmas, on Monday.

The youth scolded the students for defying the general strike and allegedly looted Rs 2,500, seven mobile handsets and one ipod from the group.

Ironically, the general strike is to press the demand for arrest of the Naga militant who had allegedly molested a Manipuri film actress on Sunday. On Wednesday, a joint meeting of civil society organisations and film bodies decided to resume from midnight the indefinite strike that had been suspended for two days.

"One of the men took the girls aside and molested one," said Ningsungam, who was part of the group. "When the girl shouted for help, women from a neighbouring village came out and rescued her."

"We have arrested all three accused," said Angam R Kamei, superintendent of police of Imphal East district.

On Wednesday, around 500 tribal women staged a sit-in at Risophung village in Senapati district to protest the incident.

"We demand speedy justice in the case," said activist Phungamla.

Rights body to probe molestation caseBhubaneswar: The Odisha Human Rights Commission will probe the death of a 24-year-old tribal girl who died five days after being molested by four youths here in September.

The girl was molested when she came from Mayurbhanj to Bhubaneswar for a job interview. When she and her friend tried the escape, the youths gave them a chase, causing the girl to fall off the motorcycle and sustain serious injuries. Two accused have been arrested while search is on for the other two.

Meanwhile, five men were arrested on Wednesday for gangraping a tribal girl in Sundergarh district of Odisha on Tuesday.

The youth allegedly abducted and raped the 22-year-old when she was returning home from a nearby village after celebrating Christmas.